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Coming into Bass Player Wanted, there was less than one day to go until the wedding and almost everyone in the main cast of How I Met Your Motherhas had some issue simmering beneath the surface. Whether it’s been relationship issues, a secret someone is still holding onto, or a secret someone wishes they could’ve held onto a bit longer, things were getting to the point where they was ready to explode. And, as expected, that explosion occurs in this episode thanks to a devious devil who shows up at the inn.

In this episode, a man named Darren is speaking to everyone at the wedding as if they’ve been best friends for years. He’s funny, complimentary and caring, but it turns out he’s only getting their guard down so he can get enough personal information to destroy some relationships, with no other motivation than his own sick pleasure. Unfortunately, it works, with both Lily and Robin ending up in a fight and the same happening with Ted and Barney. Thankfully, they’re all able to work out their differences by the end and force Darren the devil out of the wedding.

While all that’s going on, Marshall’s quest against the machine hasn’t gone well. He’s struggling with the five mile walk, and it almost appears that all hope is lost. When the lights are beginning to fade, a car pulls over to give them a ride, with the driver being none other than the Mother. It happens that Darren is her band’s singer and he’s forced her out. Marshall convinces her to try to stand up for herself, and their conversation gives him a bit of confidence as well.

I’ll start by saying how glad I am that Marshall is finally at the inn. For most of the season both his scenes and Lily’s scenes have felt weak, and I believe a large part of that is due to the fact that they’ve been apart. Sure, they’ve both had their quality solo moments over the years, but those aren’t nearly as frequent or memorable as the times when they’ve had the chance to be a great couple. Having that possibility back in play is a good sign moving into the second half of the season.

That being said, in this episode, even before Marshall’s reunited with Lily he’s great, mainly because of how wonderful his character and the Mother are together. Cristin Milioti has even better chemistry with Jason Segel than she did with Alyson Hannigan. That speaks volumes to not only Milioti’s ability, but also to the way she’s being written. For all the weaknesses this season has had, one thing the writers are making sure not to screw up is the Mother. That makes sense, too. After all, it’s her appearance that has been anticipated for the last 8+ years. As long as she’s great and the way Ted meets her is great, that’ll make up for some of the other shortcomings. So far, the first half of that equation is in place.